Officer Shoots, Wounds Man Brandishing Gun in Pacoima

A man who had brandished a loaded handgun outside a Pacoima hamburger stand and vowed to commit suicide was in critical condition Wednesday after being shot by police, officials said.

Joe Lewis Martinez, 34, of Pacoima was being treated at Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills for wounds to his right arm and stomach, Los Angeles Police Officer Bill Frio said.

The incident began about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday when two motorcycle officers responded to a report of a man with a handgun at the Shoestring hamburger stand on Van Nuys Boulevard near Arleta Avenue, Frio said.

When the officers arrived, witnesses pointed out the gun-toting man, who was walking west on Van Nuys Boulevard less than a block away.

The man fled, pursued by one officer on a motorcycle and another, Officer Victor Colello, 50, a 23-year department veteran, on foot, Frio said.

Martinez ran across Van Nuys Boulevard and was heading east when he stopped and appeared to pull the gun from his pants, police said.

Colello, “believing he was about to be shot,” fired his 9-millimeter service pistol twice, hitting Martinez both times, Frio said.

Officers found a loaded .22-caliber revolver in Martinez’ waistband.

Witnesses at the hamburger stand later told police that Martinez had been pointing the gun at his head and talking about killing himself.

Police said they were considering whether charges should be filed against Martinez.

Eulalia Recinos, who has worked at the hamburger stand for a year, said Martinez would come by and order a chili dog and fries about once a week.

Martinez was always polite and would sometimes show her pictures of his family, she said in Spanish.

“Until last night, he seemed very normal,” Recinos said.